A new comedy from Academy Award®-nominated director Jason Reitman and Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (“Juno”). Marlo (Academy Award® winner Charlize Theron), a mother of three including a newborn, is gifted a night nanny by her brother (Mark Duplass). Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging young nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis).
Directed by Jason Reitman (‘Up in the Air’, ‘Thank You For Smoking’, ‘Juno’)
Starring Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Mark Duplass, Ron Livingston, Colleen Wheeler, Elaine Tan, Maddie Dixon-Poirier, Asher Miles Fallica
Written by Diablo Cody
In NZ theatres 10th May 2018
So, what’d we think?
The parenting struggle is real in Tully, a phenomenal dramedy that puts you in the home and heart of a mother trying to keep her head above water.
Charlize Theron stars as Marlo, a mother of two who is heavily pregnant with her third child and lives a beautifully chaotic life with her children and an emotionally distant husband. Life hasn’t been particularly easy for Marlo and from the outset the audience feels the weight of her fatigue and frustrations. Her savior comes in the form of a 20-something year old free spirited, crop-top wearing night nurse named Tully who provides companionship right when Marlo needs it the most.
Mackenzie Davis is dynamic as Tully, the films namesake and the sympathetic young woman who reminds Marlo that despite all the chaos and the tiredness that comes with raising children, she is a great mother who brings so much joy and light to her family. These little reminders and the bond these women share help to slowly bring Marlo out of the dark and reveal subtle truths about parenthood.
Theron and Davis have exceptional chemistry that really gives Tully its legs. A film like this could have easily become a contrived look at motherhood, but instead it becomes a poignant film thanks to Theron and Davis who lift their characters off the page to create gritty and complicated women who are more relatable than you might realise.
With a surprising twist that had the audience gasping around us, Tully is a thought provocative film full of heart that touches on issues around post-partum depression and the pressures we put on ourselves to always be the best for our children.
But, should you see it?
Absolutely. Whether you’re a mum or not, there is nothing lost in this film. It succeeds in showcasing a no-bullshit view of parenting thanks to its highly talented cast and the addition of witty and raw writing that will have you laughing and crying.
Highly recommend.
I would love to see this movie but will probably have to wait until it is out on dvd. Charlize Theron is such an amazing actress and believable for each different character that she portrays – I love her movies.
Would’ve love to watch these with my Mom’s group. But also concerned that we might all get emotional and cry. Probably need tubs of ice cream when watching this.
I think that I will love this movie! Just the trailer was really relatable for me, the characters seem so real, I feel like I could be Charlize Therons Character!! I am going to make a point of seeing it!!
This looks great brings back a lot of memories of when the kids were little it is a difficult time to get through. The trailer really is good and can be what it is like for some I would love to see this movie.
I actually wouldn’t mind seeing this movie – not my usual pick but it actually looks pretty funny. Especially as most of us have probably had some of the situations in our lives at some stage 🙂
This sounds like a great movie. Sounds like more of a reality of being a busy mother. It will be great for people in the same sort of frame of mind. Will definitely watch this as it looks great going by the movie trailer.